Infusion package



April 26, 1949. SALFI'SBERG INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Feb. 7, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A T'I'ORNBY April 1949- L. L. SALFISBERG 7 5 INFUSION PACKAGE I v Filed Feb. 7, 1946 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr- 26, 1949 UNTTED STATES PATENT oFFlcE v INFUSION PACKAGE Leroy L. Salfisberg, South Orange, N. J assignor to Ivers-Lee Company, Newark, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application February 7, 1946, Serial No. 645,985

4 Claims. (Cl. 206-) This invention relates in general to packages of the type comprising layers of thin flexible material sealed together in opposed relation to each other in zones forming and bounding a Figure 1.

. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a compartment between the layers for the sub- 5 ;:.odification of the invention. stance being packaged. The invention partic- Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view ularly contemplates an infusion package, for exon the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 3. ample, a tea bag. gure 5 is a plan view of another form of Tea bags formed of tough porous paper, such infusion package embodying the invention. as filter paper, are well-known, and such bags Figure 6 is a similar view showing a further generally have had attached thereto a tag which modification of the package. is connected to one end of a string the other Figure 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view end of which is secured to the package so that on the line of Figure 6. the tag and the string serve as a handle for Figure 8 is a detached perspective view of a immersing the bag in a liquid, for example to modified form of tag or label. make tea. Heretofore such tags have been made Figure 9 is a similar view of a further modifica integrally with the strips of packaging material tion of th ta or lab L of which the bags are formed, the tags being Figure 10 is a plan view of another form of the separable from the bag along a scored line; but package embodying the invention. it has been difficult to apply to such tags indicia Figure 11 is an enlarged transverse vertical such as trade-marks or directions for use. sectional view on the line ll-ll of Figure 10. Accordingly one object of the present inven- Figure 12 is a similar view on the line |2l2 tion is to provide an infusion package of the of Figure 10, general character described wherein the tag shall Figure 13 is a plan View of another form of be formed separately from and preferably of difinfusion package embodying the invention. ferent material than the tea bag itself so that Figure 14'is an enlarged transverse vertical indicia can be easily applied to the tag as by sectional view on the line I 4-H of Figure 13. printing r in any o h r suitable manner. the Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 13 showinvention also contemplating a novel and iming another form of package embodying the inproved manner of attaching the string to the 80 Tention. bag so that it shall normally be concealed or cov- Figure 16 is a transverse vertical sectional view ered to prevent entanglement of the strings of on the line l5--I6 of Figure 15. a plurality of bags that may be packed in the Figure 17 is a plan View of a further modificasame carton. tion of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide Figure 18 is a similar view of still another modsuch an infusion package wherein the tag shall ification of the invention. be attached to one end of a string the other end Figure 19 is an enlarged transverse vertical of which shall be secured to the porous bag and sectional view on the line I9-l9 of Figure 18. the intermediate portions of the string shall be Specifically describing the embodiment of the removably or detachably arranged between the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the layers of packagingmaterial of which the bag package is shown as comprising two layers land is formed, so that normally the tag shall be 2 of suitable material, preferably tough porous closely related to the bag, for example when the fibrous material, such as filter paper, which are bag is placed in a carton with other bags, but sealed together in opposed relation to each other a slight pull on the tag will detach the main in zones 3 which form and constitute-the boundportion of the string from the bag so that the aries of a commodity-receiving compartment 4 latter can be suspended in spaced relation to between said layers. The bag or envelope may the tag for infusion purposes. be formed in any suitable manner and preferably Other objects, advantages and results of the the commodity, such as tea, is deposited and invention will be brought out by the following enclosed within the compartment 4 as the packdescription in conjunction with the accompanyage is formed, although the bag or envelope may ing drawings in which first be formed with one open edge through which Figure 1 is a plan view of an infusion package the commodity may be inserted and thereafter or tea bag constructed in accordance with the said edge may be sealed or closed. invention. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the layers may be sealed together by an adhesive or a thermo-plastic coating on the abutting faces of the layers according to known methods.

The main feature of the invention is the manner of attaching a separate tag by means of a string to the bag or envelope, and according to this form of the invention, one end of a string is permanently secured or sealed between the layers i and 2 in the sealed zone 3 along one margin of the compartment 4, and the string is folded or bent so that an intermediate portion 6 of the string runs along another margin of the package and free therefrom and another portion 1 of the string is detachably fastened between the layers along a margin of the package opposite the margin to which the end 5 of the string is attached. The other end of the string has a tag 8 permanently secured thereto, and as shown this tag may comprise two strips 9 of suitable material having the end of the string sealed between them, as shown in Figure 8, or the tag may comprise a single piece of material folded upon itself to form two opposed layers ID with the end of the string sealed between them as shown in Figure 9. The layers 9 and in may be sealed together in any suitable manner, for example as are the layers i and 2 of the bag.

The portion 7 of the string is so sealed between the layers 1 and 2 that it can be pulled outwardly from the layers by applying simple tension on the string through a pull on the tag 8, and for expediting this detachment or separation of the string, it is desirable to place the string close to the edge of the bag.

With this construction it will be seen that the major portion of the string is normally held in an out of the way position and the tag is closely related to the bag so that the dangling of the string and the consequent entanglement of the string with the strings of other bags is obviated. Moreover, the tag may be made of such material so that it will receive any desired inscription or indicia and the printing may be done before the the layers of the tag are secured to the string.

The package shown in Figure 3 is similar to that of Figure 1 and differs primarily only in the fact that the string is attached to the bag in a difi'erent way. As shown, one end ll of the string is permanently sealed between the layers of the bag along one margin thereof while an intermediate portion l2 of the string runs along and outwardly of another margin of the package at right angles to the first-mentioned margin and another intermediate portion is looped at l3 with the bight of the loop extending from one margin and the arms of the loop running parallel to each other and detachably sealed at l4 between the layers of the package. The free end of the string projects from the margin of the package opposite that from which the bight l3 projects and has secured thereto a tag 15 that may be constructed in any suitable manner.

With this construction, a slight pull on the tag 15 will withdraw the looped portion of the string from between the layers of the package and thus free the portion I2 so that the bag can be suspended through the string from the tag in the usual manner, but normally the string will be confined in close relation to the package so that possibility of breakage or entanglement of the string is reduced to the minimum.

In this form of package, the looped portion of the string may be initially freely slidable through the portion l4 between the layers, or it may be sealed between the layers and detached from the layers by pulling of the string outwardly from between the layers at the edge of the package in a manner similar to that in which the string is detached from the package shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 shows a package similar to that of Figure 3, the main difierence being that the looped portion it of the string has its bight disposed wholly within the boundaries of the package instead of projecting from the package as shown in Fi ureB.

Figure 6 shows a package similar to that 0! Figure 5, the main difference between the two packages being that in Figure 6 the looped portion ll of the string extends only a portion of the width of the package instead of entirely across the package as shown in Figure 5.

The package shown in Figure 10 comprises the bag formed of two layers of material l8 and I! similar to the layers I and 2 sealed together along their margins to form and bound the commodityreceiving compartment 20, but the sealed zones at one margin of the bag are wider than the zones at thev other margins as shown at 2|. One end 22 of the string is secured between the layers 18 and I9 along one longitudinal marginal portion of the bag while an intermediate portion of the string is looped and located within an unsealed tubular portion 24 between the layers l8 and is along a marginal portion adjacent to and at right angles to the first-mentioned marginal portion, the bight 25 of the loop projecting from one edge of the bag and the free end of the string extending from the opposite edge of the package and having a tag 26 connected thereto. In forming the bag, the tubular portion 24 is made during the sealing operation by leaving spaced opposed zones of the layers unsealed from each other, and the looped Y portion of the string is located in the tubular portion 24 during the sealing of the layers l8 and IS.

The looped portion may be normally freely slidable in the tubular portion 24, or if desired small areas of the tubular portion may be sealed 'or otherwise separably attached to the string as indicated at 21 so that accidental pulling of the string out of the tubular portion is prevented.

Figure 13 shows a package similar to that of Figure 10 wherein one end of the string 28 is connected to the bag as is the end 22 of the string in Figure 10, while the intermediate portion of the string is looped several times and enclosed within a chamber or compartment 29 between the layers or the package formed in substantially the same manner as is the tubular portion 24. A tag 30 is attached to the free end of the string which projects from one edge of the bag.

This construction allows the use of a longer string than does the construction shown in Figure 10, due to the multiple loops of the string enclosed within the relatively large compartment In Figure 15 one end 3| of the string is permanently secured along one margin of the bag while an intermediate portion 32 is looped and located Within the commodity compartment and has its free end portion projecting from an edge of the bag and connected to a tag 33. Certain portions of the strin may be separably attached or fastened to the bag by sealing said portions between the layers of the bag as indicated at 24, so

as to prevent accidental pulling of the loop from the bag.

It will be understood that a simple pull on the ta will pull the loop 32 of the string out of the compartment so that the string and tag may serve to suspend the bag in a liquid.

The package of Figure 1'7 has one end 35 of the strin permanently secured in one margin of the bag, an intermediate portion 36 running along and outwardly of an edge of the bag at right angles to the first-mentioned margin, and another intermediate portion 31 separably secured to the bag along a margin parallel with the first-mentioned margin. The free end of the strin projects from one edge of the bag and has a tag 38 connected thereto. In this form of the invention the free end of the string and the tag extend parallel to the margin in which the second-named intermediate portion of the string is fastened instead of at right angles to said margin as in the other packages. The portion 37 of the string can be easily pulled away from the bag by applying a lateral pull to the strin through the ta 38.

The bag shown in Figure 18 has the tag initially formed integrally with the layers 39 and 40 of which the bag is formed and one or both of said layers is scored or formed with a. plurality of aligned openings or perforations 4| to permit detachment of the tag 42 from the main portion of the bag. One end 43 of the string is secured to portion and said bag, a strin having one end permanently secured to said bag along another margin of said bag, an intermediate portion of said string being secured between said layers along said line of division between said compartment and said'tag portion and the other end of said string being secured to said tag portion.

2. A package comprising a substantially fiat polygonal bag including two opposed layers of material sealed together in zones forming and bounding a commodity compartment between said layers, a string having one end portion permanently secured to said bag along one margin, an intermediate portion of said string being folded or bent and separably attached to the bag along another margin and the other end of said string projecting from an edge of the bag and having a tag attached thereto, said intermediate portion of said string being looped and the loop being disposed between said layers.

3. A package comprising a bag including two opposed layers of material secured together and forming a commodity compartment between them, a string having one end portion permanently secured to said bag, an intermediate portion of said string being detachably attached to the bag and the other end of the strin extendthe bag along one margin, as hereinbefore described, while an intermediate portion 44 of the string runs along and outwardly of an edge of the package at right angles to the first-mentioned margin. Another intermediate portion 45 of the string is sealed between the layers 39 and along the line of perforations 4| and the other end 46 of the string is permanently secured to the ta 42.

When it is desired to use the tag and the string to suspend the bag for infusion purposes, the tag may be torn from the bag along the scored lines 4| and this action will simultaneously release the intermediate portions 44 and from the bag. In fact, by startin the tearing of the layers at the edge of the package which forms the inner end of the tag 42 (the left-hand edge of Figure 18), the intermediate portion 45 of the string will facilitate the tearing operation.

While I have shown and described the invention as embodied in several different packages, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that this is primarily for the purpose of explaining the principles of the invention and the now preferred forms thereof, and that many modifications and changes may be made in the details of construction of the packages within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A package comprising a substantially flat polygonal bag including two opposed layers of material sealed together in zones forming and bounding a commodity compartment between said layers, and a tag portion along one margin, there being a line of division between said tag ing from the bag, and a tag secured to the lastnamed end of the string, said intermediate portion of the string being looped and the loop being disposed between said layers.

4. A package comprising a substantially flat polygonal bag'includin two opposed layers of material sealed together in zones forming and bounding a commodity compartment between said layers, a string having one end portion permanently secured to said bag along one margin, an intermediate portion of said string being folded or bent and separably attached to the bag along another margin and the other end of said string projecting from an edge of the bag and having a tag attached thereto, the second-named margin of the bag having an unsealed tubular portion formed between said layers and in which said intermediate portion of the string is disposed, whereby said strin initially may be compactly folded and secured in folded condition to the package and thereafter the string can be unfolded and said intermediate portion thereof can be detached from the bag.

LEROY L. SALFISBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,723,702 Mitchell Aug. 6, 1929 1,775,347 Hirschhorn Sept. 9, 1930 2,149,713 Webber Mar. 7, 1939 2,298,420 Salfisberg Oct. 13, 1942 2,335,159 Salfisberg Nov. 23, 1943 2,364,903 Howard Dec. 12, 1944 2,406,137 Eaton Aug. 20, 1946 

